Salty Caramel and Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies come with a friendly warning: Chewy caramel, toasted pecans and a flurry of sea salt will make you popular. Very popular. A product called caramel bits gives these cookies great flavor and chewy texture. Some supermarkets carry them, and theyre widely available online. (Search for Kraft Caramel Bits.) Take care to follow recipe directions when baking: caramel bits melt quickly.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2cups all-purpose flour

3 cups rolled oats

1 11 -ounce package caramel baking bits

1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsley chopped

Coarse sea salt

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, the baking powder, cinnamon and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the remaining flour. Stir in oats, caramel baking bits and pecans.

Bake in a 350 oven for 11 to 12 minutes, until the edges are light brown. (Centers will look undercooked.) Cool on cookie sheets for 3 to 4 minutes or until cookies can be easily removed. Transfer to a wire rack; cool.